Expert: Eric Potts - 7/12/2008

Question
QUESTION: My Fiance is currently in the blet program at our local community college.  He is an iraq veteran thats been home for a short while now.  He's always wanted to be a cop and wants nothing more.  When he got back from Iraq last year he had a lot of issues as would anyone that has to shoot people and risk there life everyday.  He had the mentality that he was invincible and life wasn't as important anymore. He tried cocaine two times and smoked some marijuana.  He met me and has changed dramatically, not saying that I am a magical healer or anything, it's just he had a choice.  When he realized how stupid the decisions he made were he was done.  Now it has came to our attention that even his use of it in the past can be an issue. I was wanting to ask you if there was anything that he could possibly do.  His life has changed so fast for the good and found himself in the realization of achieving his dream and now his progress and change is no help in the matter.  Is there rehabilitation that he can do?  Or is he damned for being stupid?  We don't want to finish the course then realize that it was all for nothing.  Thank you for your time and if you could reply back soon that would be wonderful.

-Halie

ANSWER: Hi Halie,

First off God Bless your finace and the service he has rendered to this Country. I salute him and all our soldiers, sailors marines and airmen serving.

With that said, there is no doubt that what your fiance has been through was traumatic and would effect anyone. The things he is/was feeling are part of a process. I would encourage him to seek counseling to help him deal with any issues he may have. Often times people self medicate to help them past depression and this could very well be what was going on with your fiance. I am no doctor and no professional when it comes to this, but I do have training in the area of depression and do have some first hand knowledge of it.

Was your finace arrested? Cocaine is a bit of a problem but not anything that can't be over come,same for marijuana. I would encourage your fiance to stay in the program, seek the counseling to help him deal with his issues, remain trouble free with NO FUTURE DRUG USE and I'm sure he will reach his eventual goal of becoming a Police Officer.

You are to be commended for your caring and support, keep supporting him, attend counseling with him if he asks and I wish both of you much luck!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Eric,

To your question about arrest, NO he was never arrested for any drug related problems or for that matter any reason at all.  He has a clean record, not even tickets, only tried the cocaine.  He hasn't done any drugs since!  We were just looking at some of the requirements for local stations and they give polygraph tests where they ask about your drug use and we didn't know if that disqualifies you, because it is within the last year. Cocaine is a pretty hard drug and we weren't sure if it was too bad. He has been seeing a therapist and has really became a different person in a good way. I just didn't know if there was anything he could do.  If he says yes to the questions during the polygraph test, will he be condemned or can he explain? Or do the circumstances even matter? I just didn't know who to turn to about these questions.  Thank you soooooo much for your time and blessings!

Answer
The only thing he can do is answer the questions honestly and hope...as time passes the mistake looks less and less significant as long as there is no repeat pattern. I can't see this hindering him getting hired in the long run, however, it may be a short term problem. He can explain the issue, explain that it was a huge mistake and he has learned from it. There is no arrest which is a good thing, no record bodes well.

Good Luck to you both.